St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-04
4 NEW co ssTITnTION.

the days of dog teams and birch bark
canoes. when the early settlers by no posi-
bility could have the faintest dream of the
wonderful progress that was to be made
during the next generation. The crudeness
of that instrument. which is apparent in
every feature Of it, is no reflection upon
the trainers of it. They did the best work
that could be done with the light they had.
They were honest. patriotic, intelligent
men. who aimed to lay the foundations of
the new empire they were founding as
substantially as it was possible to do with
the material at hand. They succeeded as
well as men could succeed under like cir
cumstanccS. The constitution that they
framed answered the purposes at that time.
1t met all the requirements of a pioneer
colony and was well enough suited to the
conditions of primitive era.
But Minnesota has outStripped the age
Tor which tine state constitution was formed.
The stale has risen into an entirely different
atmosphere and is surrounded by new con-
when its commerce depended Oh dog
teams aid canoes for transportation. Its
present existence is in the age of railways
and electricity. The changes which have
have ushered in new dispensation. The
old things have passed away and all things
have become new. And yet. singularly
enough, the state is still struggling in an
awkward sort of a way to get along by a
vain attempt to harmonic its present pro-
gressive conditions with the infeXible re-
quirements of an organic law which was
constructed for the uses of pioneer COM
munity.
1t is folly to prolong a struggle which
only retards the development of the state.
1t is useless to attempt to harmonic the
requirements of a generation ago with the
demands of this progressive age.
1t is impossible to frame code of laws in
harmony with the provisions of the exist
ing constitution adequate to the necessities
of the states rapid growth in population
and the building up of its new Industries.
From time to time the people have made
efforts to adjust the constitution to the
growing public demands by repeated amend
ments.
The result is that the instrument has
been patched until it presents the incon-
gruous appearance of crazy quilt.
And yet demands are coming up from
every quarter for additional amendments.
In his late report to the legislature the
public examiner calls attention to the
fact that it is impossible to perfect a
system for the admin stration of the state
finances without a constitutional amend
ment. The articles on finances in the
present constitution was adopted at time
when one ordinary bookkeeper could keep
all the public accounts and then not he oc-
cupied more than half of his time. The
state has outgrOWn the simple condition of
that time.
The board of railway and warehouse
commissioners call the attention of the leg
islature to the necessity for Incorporating
into the state constitution a provision Civ
ing the legislature proper warrant to enact
laws for the regulation of common carriers
1t didn't occur to the men who lived IN the
times when dog teams answered all the
purposes of commerce that time would
come when the public would need to be
protected against the eXtortiOns of grasping
monOpolies. But that time has come, and
yet Minnesota lives under constitution
which has no knowledge of the existence
of corporate power.
The state superintendent of free schools
makes public mention of the fact that our
system of public instruction is retrograd-
ing. We are away behind the times with
our common school system. and are getting
further to the rear every day, simply because
the times progress, while our educational
system is bound with the chains of old
fogyism, forged by the provisions of con-
stitution which was constructed when pub
lie educacation itself was in its most prm-
tive stage.
And so, from every branch and depart
ent of the state government, comes up
same cry, appealing for changes in the
ganic law.
In the light OF all these facts the GLOBE
unhesitatingly declares that the time has
come when the requirements of the state
demand a new constitution. Not patched
ND affair." but brand new one. and to this
end constitutional convention should be
called. Experience has proved TO the Older
American states that new constitution is
demanded every twenty years. The
changes that occur in the social, political
and industrial conditions of a common
wealth within the period of twenty years
make it impossible Tor the state to keer
pace with the march of our progressive
civilization without changing the text OF
its fundamental law so as to make it con-
form to the requirements of each new dis
pensation.
Minnesota has already lived too long
under one constitution.
Its vigorous limbs must not be trammeled
with the chains of old fogyism.
Its healthy development must not be
curbed ~ the crude conditions of genera
ton ago.
TIE march to wealth and power must no